Kaleidoscope
by Cherry-bow
Summary: What if Sandy had introduced ryan to his DAUGHTER - Stef?
1. Default Chapter

"-And this is my daughter Stefanie" Sandy introduced gesturing towards her while giving a lopsided smile to Ryan, who was stood next to him clutching his bag.  
  
"Stef!" the girl tutted correcting him, hating her full first name. Sat on the floor cross legged and leaning against the sofa was a teenage girl around Ryan's age, who was currently assassinating some enemy on the play station. Nearby lay an empty pizza box with an empty crisp packet inside, and various game boxes were scattered on the carpet.  
  
The sound effect of a short scream and death fizzled out as she glanced over her shoulder, causing her unruly dark curly hair to swish as she looked at them. She tapped pause, scrambling to stand up.  
  
Ryan glanced at this girl in disbelief, who was wearing faded jeans that had various rips in them; she also wore a Death Cab for Cutie t-shirt. This wasn't exactly how he envisaged a lawyer's daughter in the OC to look like.  
  
She wiped her hand down her t-shirt then held it out towards Ryan, "So you must be the guy from Chino, Ryan I mean, dad mentioned on the phone. I'm Stef, like he just mentioned now" she gave a goofy looking friendly grin.  
  
Ryan stiffly gave a polite smile back as he took her hand which she shook quickly then she stepped away, shifting on her feet as she brushed some hair out of her face.  
  
"So uh, do you do play station?" she asked.  
  
Sandy took the bag off Ryan and said "I'll just put this in the pool house where you'll be staying to night" he then smiled at the teens, "how about I leave you two to get to know each other while I do so?"  
  
Stef snorted as her dad left and it was just her and Ryan. "So how about Grand Theft auto?" She said pointing to the nearby case, "I know what guys are like about cars, and in the game you get to steal cars! Its cool" she grinned then remembered and quickly added "or not...whatever"  
  
"Right" Ryan glanced around, briefly wondering how long Sandy would be. "So, this is what you do for fun?" he gestured to the play station.  
  
"Between homework, hating the world, and staying in my room listening to depressing music that makes me die a little bit more inside each day? Yeah" Stef nodded and picked at her nails.  
  
"Okay....so...what do you and your friends do for fun? What exactly do rich teens get up to?" Ryan asked, not noticing the frown that crossed Stef's face for a moment as she glanced away.  
  
"Well, there's almost always a party at someone's house each night, full of the usual – drugs, drink, bikinis, sex and mistakes... its all quite boring really" she shrugged as Ryan stared, "Its probably no more fun than the parties in Chino"  
  
"Are you kidding me?" Ryan asked and there was a long silence before he said, "So what else do people get up to?"  
  
"Well there's the beach, the mall, all that sorta stuff, if you're into those kinda things" she scratched her head, and her curls seemed to get even wilder.  
  
"I take it you're not" Ryan observed.  
  
"There's more to life than materialism, money and what's fashionable" Stef stated, "stuff like that doesn't really matter"  
  
"Easy for you to say" Ryan muttered, wondering how she could seem so anti to the life she had, when millions of people, he himself included, wished for a life that seemed as luxurious and care-free as hers.  
  
"I can see why you'd say that, but you don't exactly know me or the kind of people around here" Stef said picking at the arm of the nearby sofa.  
  
"Does that mean I shouldn't?" There was another moment of stretched out silence between them as they seemed to hold slight glares.  
  
Thankfully Sandy came back at that moment smiling like he was expecting them to the best of friends by now.  
  
"So anyway, I'm going to go get a drink before I dehydrate and malfunction" Stef sighed and passed her dad on her way to the kitchen.  
  
"Malfunction AFTER dehydrating?" Ryan raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Sorry if our Stef seems a bit... well she's quite shy and a little bit anti- social. We think it's a hormone thing" Sandy said putting a hand on Ryan's shoulder and began to lead him away, lowering his voice, "well, she actually has a few problems... she sees a psychiatrist once in a while, don't mention it though. She doesn't like that everyone knows as it is, and she doesn't really fit in well with the people at her school... if you could be nice that'd be great"  
  
"Are you implying I wouldn't be nice to her?" Ryan asked. "She seems okay and nice enough. Just not what I was expecting was what I meant"  
  
"Well that's our Stef. She likes to be different; it's sort of her thing".  
  
Ryan nodded. Either way he thought she was weird. Now she just seemed weird, with problems. And it appeared he did not like her and she did not like him so far. He allowed Sandy to lead him to the pool house to show where he was staying and they talked a bit more, forgetting about the introduction to Stef for the mean time, instead he nodded while listening to Sandy and thought about the girl next door he'd seen earlier.  
  
Ryan wondered down the driveway out the front, intending to smoke a cigarette and contemplate the chaotic day he had. Glancing up he paused, spotting the girl next door standing at the front of her house at the edge of the road, arms folded and looking like she was waiting for someone. She looked up and smiled back at him, and he felt something inside flicker at the small acknowledgement.  
  
"Those things will kill you" he jumped at the sudden voice, dropping the cigarette and lighter he was holding. He scowled annoyed and blushed a little having been embarrassed in front of that girl.  
  
Stef was stood behind him, arms folded as she watched him pick up the cigarette and lighter, "if you're gunna be a chancer, you're gunna get cancer" she spoke with a sing song tone.  
  
"I'll do what I like, and I'll chance it" Ryan muttered lighting the cigarette.  
  
Stef looked over and frowned seeing her neighbour, looking down she ran a hand through her hair. Ryan ignored her and watched as a car pulled up on the road, blocking his view of the gorgeous mysterious neighbour. "Who's that?" he asked.  
  
"That's just our neighbour's eldest daughter, Marissa" Stef muttered, "and that would be her boyfriend Luke picking her up for a date, otherwise known as a praising and doing him session"  
  
Ryan frowned and inhaled deeply from the cigarette, breathing the wispy smoke out of his nose dragon like before gazing at Stef, "let me guess, you don't like them either?"  
  
Stef blinked at him as if offended, "And let me guess, you have a huge crush on her, and you're already thinking of a house, picket fence, dog and 2.4 children with her?" she raised an eyebrow, "Guys, you're all typically hopeless" she shook her head and turning, heading back towards the house.  
  
"She invited me to a party" Ryan called after her.  
  
She seemed to stop mid-step for a second, "So? She invites the pizza delivery boy to her parties" she continued.  
  
Ryan stared after her with furrowed brows before shaking his head. Girls, they all seemed weird. And Stef, well at least she was psychiatrically recognised as weird. What was her problem anyway? 


	2. 2

Ryan pulled on the best shirt he had and glanced in the mirror momentarily to check his hair and give himself the once over; he didn't look too bad.  
  
BANG BANG! "Hurry up before my bladder explodes!"  
  
Ryan closed his eyes and groaned, before unlocking the bathroom door and glancing at Stef, "Here, it's all yours" he side stepped past her gesturing grandly to the bathroom. He then sighed as she slammed the door behind her and he headed to the kitchen.  
  
"Looking good Ryan" Sandy greeted the blonde boy, "for any particular reason?"  
  
"The girl next door invited me to some party, so I thought I'd go check it out" Ryan informed him as he grabbed a glass.  
  
"Marissa? She's a nice girl. I'm sure she'll make you feel welcome and at ease at the party" Sandy folded his arms and leant against the counter.  
  
Ryan nodded as he filled the glass with water then sipped from it. Mmmarissa. When he realised he was smiling he quickly removed the expression from his face.  
  
"Stef, you could at least dress up a little like Ryan has, and make an effort" Sandy's voice snapped his attention to Stef's sudden appearance.  
  
"Why would I want to get dressed up to get a snack?" Stef raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What, you're not going to Marissa's party with Ryan?" Sandy laughed and Ryan almost choked on his water.  
  
"Do I look drunk and near naked? No. I'm not ready for any party" Stef commented, opening the nearby cupboard that contained all the crisps and junk food. "Besides, she only invited Ryan, so it looks like a night of star wars, pizza and Jacob's creek for me...the non-alcoholic kind, which I guess will be fruit juice"  
  
"Nonsense Stef, if she's going to invite Ryan, she means to invite you to. Go make yourself pretty and go with Ryan; I'm sure he'll be glad to be going with someone he knows"  
  
The two teens exchanged looks. "Uh yeah, that's if you want to go" Ryan said.  
  
Stef sighed, "Oh how can I resist the begging and enthusiasm of two males... fine, give me a minute and I'll go with you" she chucked the packet of crisps back into the cupboard and left the kitchen.  
  
"Thanks" Sandy said turning to face Ryan who merely blinked at him. "I know she's my daughter, but I believe she really does need to get out and socialize more. You'll keep an eye on her at the party won't you?" "Uh yeah sure" Ryan nodded as Sandy patted him on the shoulder and said good boy. "I hope she doesn't take forever, Marissa was going to give me a lift to the party, and it's near the beach or something"  
  
"Ah, that's a favourite nightspot for the teens around here" Sandy smiled-  
  
"Okay ready!" he was cut off as Stef returned – with a black shirt over her t-shirt and those ripped jeans still on. Kirsten had followed shortly after her.  
  
"Okay, that was quick" Ryan blinked at her.  
  
"What are you kids up to tonight?" Stef's mom asked as she glanced between them both.  
  
"Marissa invited them to a party" Her husband told her, kissing her on the cheek as she passed.  
  
Kirsten stopped and looked again from Ryan to her daughter. "Hunny, you're going dressed like that?" she asked and saw Stef roll her eyes, "you could put on a bit of makeup"-  
  
"Mom, no! We're going to be late" Stef grabbed Ryan by the wrist and dragged him out of the kitchen to exit the house. "Bye mom, bye dad" Stef called as the front door swung shut behind them.  
  
"So..." Ryan shifted on his feet, "Marissa should be picking us up in"-  
  
"Okay, I know you don't want me around so you can flirt with all the pretty bimbos and try avoid being beaten up by their boyfriends, so I'll leave you to do your own thing and I'll...eat nachos and linger in the background" Stef blurted out.  
  
Ryan stared at her, "I can't just leave you on your own... that'd be rude. Besides your dad wants me to keep an eye on you"  
  
"How about for $20 you keep your eye on all the other girls instead?" Stef offered.  
  
BEEEP! they both looked over to the car that pulled up and through the open window Marissa smiled over at Ryan and waved him over. Ryan swallowed and walked over towards the car with Stef following him.  
  
"Hey Ryan, nice shirt" Marissa smiled and glanced to the side, "Uh Stef, are you coming too?"  
  
"It's alright isn't it?" Ryan cut in.  
  
Marissa flashed a friendly smile, "of course. You can both get in the back then we can get to the party, its going to be a good one tonight I can tell" her smile was more aimed at Ryan.  
  
Stef rolled her eyes as she walked around the other side of the car, God that lying cow made her want to puke.

"So welcome to the OC Ryan" Marissa smiled as they entered the beach house, where loud music flooded throughout the rooms, and everywhere were wet slicked people in swimwear or at least minimal clothing – dancing, chatting, stumbling drunk, drinking, eating, doing drugs, there was even some catfight in the background.  
  
Ryan's eyes visibly widened as he looked around in a dazed surprised kind of awe, wondering if he'd be able to blend into the scene.  
  
"Coop!" A girl squealed and ran over to Marissa excitedly, giving her a hug, "I was wondering when on earth you'd get here girl, and Luke's been pining for you" she giggled then noticed Ryan, "Oh who is your new friend?" she smiled.  
  
Stef folded her arms and rolled her eyes, as Ryan smiled at the dark haired girl.  
  
"Summer, this is Ryan who has moved in with the Cohens, Ryan this Summer my best friend" Marissa smiled as they greeted each other.  
  
"Don't mind me" Stef mumbled.  
  
"Do I know you?" Summer asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Stef... the Cohen's daughter, Marissa's neighbour for the past ten years, the girl who sits behind you in biology..."  
  
"Oh, well then I won't mind you" summer said returning her attention back to Marissa and Ryan.  
  
Stef gave a sardonic smile to Ryan, "Well I see drink, so I'm off, have fun with the airheads" she muttered and walked away.  
  
"Bitch" Summer mumbled under her breath.  
  
"You don't have to be blatantly rude" Ryan said and received looks off both the girls, "come on, I live with her" he glanced around.  
  
"And believe me I feel for you" Summer laughed and smirked, "but anyway, let's not talk about her, let's go find Luke! Has Ryan met him yet?" Stef nervously stood at the table laid out with various food and drinks, feeling and knowing she was totally out of place. She sighed and picked at a napkin bored and miserable already.  
  
She stumbled and almost knocked over the table of drinks when someone walked smack into her, "hey watch it" she snapped.  
  
"No, you watch it" she looked up recognising it was Luke who had walked into her, she groaned thinking 'oh great', "what are you doing here anyway Lesbo?"  
  
Stef made a disgusted annoyed 'bored of it' look, "Marissa invited Ryan and me, you know her neighbours. Well he's the new one; she seemed more interested in asking the bad boy from Chino actually"  
  
Luke looked at her questioningly, before glancing over in Marissa's direction as she crossed the room towards them, with summer and a boy following persuit. "Chino?" he narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Luke!" Marissa called smiling at him as she reached them. Luke immediately put his arms around her and pulled her close for a brief kiss before looking at her companions.  
  
"So, Lesbo there tells me you're from Chino" Luke snapped.  
  
"Luke" Marissa widened her eyes and spoke with a slight warning tone.  
  
With a sigh Stef grabbed a nearby drink and took this as her cue of dismissal, shouldering her way past Summer and leaving the beach house. She's been fed up of this party before she'd even arrived anyway.  
  
"Yeah I am, and I'm staying with the Cohen's" Ryan told him, "and why is everyone rude about Stef anyway?" he asked confused.  
  
"Hello, that chick is a total psycho and has been for ages, and she acts like being a freak is totally acceptable" summer began, "I honestly don't know how a cool couple like the Cohen's ended up with THAT for a daughter"  
  
"She seems alright to me" Ryan said which received some snorts of laughter. "And Sandy asked me to keep an eye on her, so if you don't mind I'm going to check if she's okay. Excuse me" he passed Marissa to go find her.  
  
Marissa gave looks to Luke and Summer. "What?" Summer exclaimed."What, are you doing?" Ryan asked, walking across the road to where Stef was stood in the middle, clutching a bottle of alcohol and with a thumb held up.  
  
"What do you think I'm doing? Trying to hitch a ride back home, don't worry about me, you stay here and party with your new friends"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, your dad told me to keep an eye on you. I can't just let you go, he'd kill me"  
  
"Well I don't have a problem with that" Stef shrugged.  
  
"I do" Ryan said taking the bottle off her, "And how the hell do you get so tipsy so quickly?" he took a hold of her arm.  
  
"I don't know...I guess I don't get drunk slowly" Stef shrugged.  
  
Ryan sighed and glanced around, "It won't take long to walk back to your house. I can sort of remember the way back"  
  
"No, stay, really, you want to" Stef was shaking her head.  
  
"Forget it, we're walking" Ryan said, glancing back to the beach house and began walking her up the road.  
  
"But won't Marissa be disappointed?"  
  
Ryan sighed, "She's got Luke, Summer and everyone else around, she won't miss me" he said as they continued to walk.  
  
"Well they definitely won't miss me" Stef muttered.  
  
Ryan looked down at the road as they continued to walk side by side in silence, "Can I ask you something?" he asked. There was a pause so he took it as 'go ahead', "Are you a... you know...like Luke said...a lesbian?" he asked wincing as he said it. He figured maybe that was the reason everyone seemed a bit off her.  
  
Stef snorted with laughter. "He'd like to think so. Apparently if you don't fancy those arrogant jerks then you're a lesbian... I would have just thought it meant I was sober" she shrugged, "which I'm not quite right now, but still – no attraction to that jerk"  
  
Ryan gave a half smile to her rambling, "Right...sorry if I offended you by asking by the way, I just thought...you know..."  
  
"Ry, every school has the total outcast, the kind of person who is even an outcast of the outcasts, and that would be me. I don't conform to their kind of clothes, music tastes, or parties, and I see a shrink – so of course I stand out as the freak" Stef admitted with a sigh.  
  
"Seeing a shrink doesn't make you a freak, you just have a few problems" Ryan carefully said.  
  
Stef laughed, "That's exactly what my dad says. But he's not the one who has to sit there talking to a stranger who gets paid like $200 an hour to pretend to listen and care"  
  
Ryan glanced at her. "Okay so maybe he doesn't get how you feel" he said unsurely, Sandy seemed the sympathetic understanding type to him, maybe Stef was just the drama queen type of person. "I used to see a counsellor when I was a kid, so I kind of understand"  
  
"And look how you turned out" Stef sighed then stopped, "Sorry, I didn't mean, sorry, I meant"-  
  
"Its fine" Ryan snapped cutting her off. They walked in silence longer.  
  
"So why did you have to go see a counsellor?" Stef asked quietly.  
  
Ryan glanced up the night sky as he answered, "family problems" quite rigidly.  
  
"Ah" Stef nodded.  
  
Ryan turned his gaze back to her in curiosity, "Why do you see a shrink?"  
  
Stef sighed and smiled, "Well I figured you wouldn't notice" she pushed up a sleeve and extended an arm to him; under the moonlight his eyes widened as he made out faint silvery marks resting over her arms. "Mostly I like to keep them covered, I mean who'd want to look at these?" she rubbed at her arm, "but mom and dad prefer that I wear shorter sleeved stuff, they say to build back confidence and because its practical, that kind of stuff, but I know its so they can see I haven't done anything" she sighed.  
  
"How long has it been since you last" Ryan trailed off.  
  
"A month" Stef announced, not really sounding pleased or proud though.  
  
"Well...that's good" Ryan said. "So, do they all know about" Ryan trailed off again and knew Stef understood who he meant by they.  
  
"Of course. Nothing really gets kept a secret for long around here, so if some girl's going to cut herself and be sent to a shrink, of course everyone will know. They don't really say anything about it now...not after my dad went totally psycho at some bitch who said something not realising he was right behind her" she smirked and laughed, then trailed off with a sigh, "but they still look at me like they expect me to still be doing it, maybe even like I deserve it, and none of them care or anything... but I don't care about them so" she shrugged.  
  
Ryan swallowed as they walked more and got to the end of the street where the house was situated.  
  
"I'm sorry, you don't want to hear about any of that"- Stef closed her eyes and looked annoyed at herself.  
  
"No its fine"-  
  
"Its not"-  
  
"Really"-  
  
"You don't know me" Stef snapped. They stood still on the pavement. "I don't expect you'd want to either. I mean of course you have to be nice to me, what with my dad being your attorney, and you living with us, but then Marissa and Summer seem to like you so you shouldn't ruin your chances of friendship with them really by like hanging out with me or whatever, after all you LIKE Marissa, so, I've already tainted your 'reputation' as it is"-  
  
"Can I interrupt and stop you babbling?" Ryan raised an eyebrow. "I'm not being nice because I HAVE to be nice; I'm doing it because I want to"  
  
"Well, you're one of those rare kinds of nice people I suppose"-  
  
"I don't care what Summer and Luke and them lot say, I think you're okay"  
  
Stef raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"  
  
Ryan nodded, "Yes, okay... You do play station and pizza, and you don't seem that girly, so yes I guess you're... okay"  
  
"So you mean like, I'm like one of the guys?" Stef grinned.  
  
"Uh, I guess so" Ryan said shifting his gaze to the house they'd stopped in front of.  
  
"That's cool" Stef enthused, "Look, I know I've totally ruined your evening, but we could play Grand theft auto and eat pizza instead, it's no match but"-  
  
"That's fine Stef" Ryan smiled at her and she smiled back as they walked up the driveway. 


	3. 3

A/N – Thank you so much for your replies, I'm glad people are enjoying the story! Here's a quick note to say the pick that inspired Stef's dress is the usual start, vintageous, com, v2281, then jpeg..... yeah lol

…….

Ryan squinted from the morning sunlight as he sat up on the bed, and surrounded by unfamiliar yet spectacular scenery. The view from the pool house was amazing, with golden rays skimming over the glittering pool and streaming in through the windows. Amazing; far better than a downtown urban view of trash.

Scrambling up he pulled on the nearest clean clothing he had and left the pool house, heading towards the kitchen doors which would allow him into the house to cook breakfast, it had been routine for him to do so back home when he was living with his mom. He didn't really expect anyone to be up, but upon entering the house he was quite surprised to hear and sense movement in the next room.

Cautiously, he left the kitchen and entered the lounge – to find Stef lying across the sofa covered in an oversized blue dressing gown, with a magazine in one hand – that strangely looked like a manga and a glass of orange juice in the other hand as she seemed to stare through the pages and lost in thought.

Ryan cleared his throat and Stef sat up, twisting her body around to look at him, "Ryan? Isn't it too early for you to be awake?"

"I could ask you the same thing, considering you managed to get tipsy last night" Ryan folded his arms. "Got a headache?"

"I'm fine" Stef said lounging again and taking gulps of her juice, draining the glass.

"I was just about to go cook some breakfast so"-

"You don't have to, you're the guest after all" Stef said, setting the glass on the coffee table and chucking the magazine aside on the sofa. "Besides, you don't know where anything is. What do you want, I'll get it"

Ryan shifted on his feet as she got up and passed him, "I was going to go with a full out cooked breakfast" he admitted.

"Oh… well unless you like everything crispy, to the state of ashes" Stef gave a shy lopsided smile, "I got called lady flambé by my food tech teacher for a reason"

Ryan laughed. "Just help me find the ingredients and stuff and leave it to me then, and if there are any fires we can say it's my fault, your parents would probably believe and expect that"

"I'm sure Arson would make a nifty addition your criminal record" Stef snorted with laughter.

After a while they'd got everything out and prepared for the cooked breakfast – Stef assisted on helping, which basically meant she chatted away to Ryan while he did everything, however she did set the table.

They sat side by side at the dinner table eating their breakfasts. "Dear God Ryan, this is like…like…sex in your mouth! Not that I'd know, but my eggs are slightly salty – the eggs on the plate I mean. I mean you're a good cook!" Stef rambled out almost blushing.

Ryan had just laughed, "Well uh, thank you, it's nice to know you like it. My cooking" he smirked and cut up a piece of bacon.

"Mmm what's that smell?" Sandy stretched as he walked in, "Breakfast…kids, you cooked?" he mocked shock and horror.

"Ryan did actually; if I had, the fire alarms would have woken you like last time. It's a delicious breakfast dad; you're going to love it"

"Well as I'm assured neither you nor your mom cooked it, I know I'll love it" Sandy said picking a plate up off the side, "thanks Ryan, you really didn't have to"

"That's what I told him" Stef spoke with her mouthful then swallowed.

"Its no problem really, I wanted to do something to say thank you, breakfast is the least I could do" Ryan spoke up as Sandy joined them at the table.

"Aww dad, you should get all your clients to cook for us" Stef mumbled.

Kirsten then entered, all dressed up and looking ready to go out.

"Mom, are you going to join us?" Stef asked as she picked up her glass of juice.

"I'd love to steffy, but I've got so much work to do for the fashion show fundraiser tonight" Kirsten sighed, "I need to pick some stuff up, and Sandy can you get Ryan suitable clothing for tonight to join us?"

"What?" Ryan asked, "You want me to go?" he didn't look that impressed and also in some state of disbelief.

"Everyone's going Ryan, just think of it as an opportunity to meet more people and have a night out" Sandy smiled.

"Dad, you don't want to go as much as he and I do; you're going because Mom's making you" Stef cut in.

"Well even if I'm going against my will – which I'm not" Sandy shifted on his seat, "you're both coming too, to support Kirsten and make an effort"

"To what? Make more idiots of ourselves?" Stef muttered into her glass as she drank more juice.

"I'm uh, sure it'll be okay once we're there" Ryan hesitantly spoke.

"I'm so glad you all can at least pretend to be enthusiastic" Kirsten drawled sarcastically and tutted, "Stef, please tell me that you have a dress for tonight?" she asked, knowing what she was like.

"A dress?" Stef's eyes widened, "Mom, you know I don't do dresses, I'll look like a drag queen surrounded by bitches – oh and teenaged girls"

"Stef! Every girl there will be wearing dresses, you know look pretty when you make the effort, and don't be so rude" Kirsten snapped annoyed, "you promised me the other day you'd buy something for tonight! I bet you bought some game instead" she scowled.

"Why do I even have to go anyway? I'm not modelling or anything, I'll just be standing around while everyone else is on their diva high horses"

Kirsten ignored Stef's comments "you'll have to go with the men and buy something from the mall, and I want you to make an effort and get something suitable"

Stef rolled her eyes and frowned, turning her glare to the toast left on her plate.

"We'll make sure she gets something nice hunny, don't stress out about it – just go do what you have to do and leave these two to me" Sandy spoke up.

Kirsten rubbed her eyes before picking up her car keys, "alright. Don't any of you dare let me down alright?" she muttered as she left.

"She means me. She thinks I'll let her down" Stef muttered.

"Of course she doesn't Stef, she's just stressed out about tonight and has many things on her mind"-

"Yeah yeah" Stef cut off her dad, standing up making her chair scrape back across the tiled floor. "Well I better go get ready for the mall then" she muttered unenthusiastically and left.

…….

Stef wore shades and her wild hair was loose hung around her shoulders, she folded her arms and looked totally unimpressed by the surroundings. Even in a mall of all places, she looked out of place in her paint covered ripped jeans, and her baggy long sleeved black top under a Jane's addiction t-shirt.

"So do any of you guys have clues where girls buy dresses from?" she asked glancing to her father and Ryan who was stood awkwardly either side of her.

Sandy put a hand on her shoulder, "How about you go into that store?" Sandy said pointing to the nearest one which looked 'minimalist but expensive'.

"Do I look like a toothpick that can somehow carry a purse full of cards and cash?"

"Money's no issue"-

"I know, damn it, having money means I can't use that as an excuse" Stef sighed.

"At least go look, make an effort for your mom's sake. If we return and none of us have anything to wear for tonight she will go completely mental"

"Good, I can't go naked so I'll have to stay home"

Sandy smirked and patted her shoulder, "you go on in, and we'll meet you in there soon. So no causing trouble – don't insult everyone and don't steal anything, or"-

"I'm going I'm going! Look how about we meet outside the store in an hour okay? I'll leave you two guys to swoon over shoes and use makeup testers or whatever you do" Stef sighed and walked off ahead to the store.

"See you in an hour Steffy" Sandy grinned after his daughter.

"Is she always this…difficult?" Ryan asked Sandy as they turned and walked off in the opposite direction.

"She's usually a hell of a lot worse and its not even that time of the month" Sandy muttered, "so fancy getting a coffee or something first?"

Stef had entered the store, which for her was like entering the twilight zone or something. Upon her immediate arrival and nervous walking towards a rail, the shop assistants had immediately begun to swarm around like bees around honey made of money.

Stef blushed and seemed to flinch from the look one of the assistants gave her; like she was complete dirt. But what did she expect, a girl like her entering a store like this? With a nervous "sorry" she shifted the straps on her shoulders from her backpack and left the store mumbling "bitches". She sighed and glanced around, then knew immediately where she wanted to go.

…….

Ryan uncomfortably walked beside Sandy holding a bag containing the clothes he'd bought from an expensive designer store. He'd just spent money on three items of clothes that must have cost more than his entire wardrobe from the past three years. He felt somehow nervous and embarrassed about this, and out of place. But Sandy had only smiled at him, told him he had good taste and they left.

"We should probably be meeting Stefanie – sorry Stef right now" Sandy gave a lopsided smile to Ryan after glancing at his watch. "God knows what she's bought, if she has got anything at all" he sighed.

They rounded the corner and walked towards the store, where they saw Stef standing there with a bag in one hand, ready and waiting for them. Upon spotting them she began walking towards them. "You took your sweet time" she spoke up.

"Sorry dear" Sandy smirked, "so what's in that bag, is it alive? Electronic?"

"Haha" Stef rolled her eyes and playfully hit her dad's arm, "it's a dress, don't have a heart attack dad, but yeah I managed to find one that I think mom will thinks okay"

"Well aren't you going to show us it?" Sandy asked, "Kirsten would want me to check it out before we actually take it home"

Stef frowned, "God, lack of trust much?" with a sigh she glanced around before opening the bag, "alright a quick look" she reached into the bag and as she pulled her hand back out black material seemed to spill around before she held it up right for them to see.

Sandy's and Ryan's eyes widened as they stared at the long slinky black evening gown Stef held up. "Wow Stef… that should keep your mom from complaining about you choosing your own clothes for at least…a while"

"So it's okay?" Stef quickly put it back in the bag, "Karen helped me pick it"

"Karen?"

"The shop assistant" Stef rolled her eyes.

Sandy grinned, "You talked to the shop assistant? You socialised" seeing Stef's look he put an arm around her shoulders, "so how much did you pay this Karen for the dress?" he asked bracing himself for a high figure.

"$95" Stef grinned and laughed at the men's face expressions and spluttering of disbelief.

"I didn't even think a store like that would know figures under at least a couple of hundred"

"What makes you think I bought it from that store?" Stef snorted and received one of her dad's famous attorney questioning looks, "I got it from Karen's vintage store okay"

"A vintage store?" Her dad exclaimed.

"Come on dad, even you think that this 1970's classic is good looking, and even for $95 I'll look way more classy than those other bitches who'll just grab the latest $500 trend"

Sandy sighed, "It does look alright for tonight, so your mom will be pleased" he smirked and laughed, "and you claim to not be interested in fashion"

Stef looked a bit flustered suddenly with embarrassment and annoyance, "Vintage daddy, vintage – there's a difference, this kind of stuff is classy and and rare, it's like…like comic book collecting, only with material instead so… shut up"

Sandy laughed at his daughter. "Well I'm sure you'll look great in it, don't you think so too Ryan?"

Ryan who'd been pretty much silence since arriving seemed to double take from the sudden involvement in the conversation, "well uh, I can't imagine in you in anything other than jeans so I'm sure it'll be interesting to see you in a dress" he nodded.

Stef gave a 'sure, whatever' smile as they thankfully left the mall and went home.

……………

"You look wonderful" Kirsten admired her daughter, who was stood before her in her bedroom, wearing the dress she'd bought earlier that day. Stef looked uncomfortable in a nervous lack of confidence way, rubbing at her arm. Her now straightened hair - as forced by her mother and a scary set of hair straighteners – swished against her shoulders and down her back.

"Well I feel like an idiot" Stef muttered.

Kirsten took her daughter's hands in hers, "You shouldn't, you look like a million dollars" she smiled.

"How can I look anything but ugly – with these" Stef pulled her hands away and wrapped her scarred arms around herself.

"Steffy" Kirsten sighed wearily and ran her hand through her daughters tamed hair; she pursed her lips as she studied her daughter for a moment.

Stef stepped away, "Its alright Mom I'm just being stupid… look you have a million and one things to get on with"-

"But you're my daughter, you're more important. I want to make sure you're alright with tonight"

Stef gave a tired looking smile, "you've worked hard for tonight Mom, so I'll be there…and I'm fine, everyone will be too busy watching the show and admiring the models and clothes anyway to pay attention to me. I'll be fine. Okay?"

Kirsten watched her daughter for a long moment. "Any problems, you find me or your dad okay… if you want to leave early just tell us"

"Yes Mom"

"Alright" Kirsten pulled her daughter to her for a brief hug, "put some lipstick on" she smiled.

Stef rolled her eyes and whined "Mom!" as she left the bedroom. Stef sighed as the door clicked shut and she turned to look in the mirror, attempting a smile before giving up and turning away with a frown.

………..

"I hate ties" Ryan mumbled for the third time, pulling at it lightly.

"Me too kid, but we'll just have to put up with them for a few hours" Sandy said from where he was sat beside him on the sofa.

"As long as I can still breathe by the end of the night, then okay" Ryan mumbled.

Sandy laughed and glanced to the clock before calling "Stef, are you ready? We need to leave in a minute"

"Yeah" came a wavy nervous call back, "I'm ready just… don't point and laugh too much okay?"

"Stef just come on out and give your old man a twirl" Sandy grinned as he stood up waiting for Stef to step on out. Ryan stood up besides him and exhaled as he too waited.

There was a hesitant click as the handle was turned, then the door was pulled open slightly a jar, "Dad, if you have a heart attack – well, I'm sorry in advance" Stef mumbled before forcing herself to throw open the door and step on out.

Ryan held his breath as Sandy brushed past him. "Hunny, you look gorgeous" Sandy sounded like an honest proud father as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"And all for less than the price of the coffee table" Stef nervously laughed.

"Stef you look… like a girl" Ryan rambled out as he looked at her. "Your hair isn't crazy, and you're in a dress"

"Someone just graduated from charm school didn't they?" Stef spoke sarcastically as she threw a smile to Ryan.

"Sorry I mean, like your dad said, uh, you look nice. I can't believe you're not in jeans or a t-shirt"

"Under all that grungy stuff you have a wonderful figure Steffy"

"Oh you two, stop" Stef flailed a hand dramatically, "before my ego grows to the size of Pamela's bosoms and I won't be able to get out the door!" she made her dad laugh. "And you two gents look peculiarly handsome, but don't tell Mom I said that, she thinks I bitch about everyone and never pay compliments"

Sandy kissed his daughter on the cheek, "urgh dad!" Stef whined and wiped the back of her hand across her cheek. "Come on then kids, we have a fashion show fundraiser to go to" Sandy announced.


	4. 4

"Oh God, you know what they say – when there's no room left in hell the dead walk to earth" Stef groaned, watching the floods of divas around them running around finding their friends, or stylist, she was pretty sure some of them were the same thing. But even when running impossibly in high heels flailing their stick arms in panic – they all looked way prettier than her Stef thought, self-consciously putting her arms around herself.  
  
"The show starts in a few minutes, looks like we got here in time" Sandy said glancing at his watch.  
  
"And mom always said I'd be late for my own funeral" Stef sighed and Ryan softly laughed.  
  
"Look kids, I'm going to see if I can grab Kirsten before the chaos so have fun, I'll be around if either of you need me" Sandy smiled at them both and then left.  
  
Ryan gave Stef a lopsided smile. "So uh, what do we do at these things?"  
  
"Drool, small talk, buy stuff, mingle, eat, and drink, bitch" Stef informed him, "its basically like being any situation and any place in this town, only with more formal dress" she shrugged uncomfortably.  
  
"Ah" Ryan nodded, "so do you want to go get a drink then?" he nodded towards a nearby table  
  
"Sure" Stef grinned at him, and together they headed over and grabbed some drinks, chatting and laughing together for a little while, before the lights and music changed to focus attention on the fashion show that Kirsten had just begun to introduce.  
  
"Hey there's your mom" Ryan nodded towards the crowd swarming around the stage and catwalk.  
  
"Yeah" Stef gave a small smile as she knocked back the last of her drink, placing the empty glass onto the tray of a server who'd just passed without missing a beat.  
  
Ryan squinted over the top of everyone's heads, as they clapped and the music got louder, and girls began to emerge out from behind a curtain and strut their stuff. He walked forward a bit and peered over someone, "Hey, there's Marissa"  
  
Stef grabbed another drink; "Of course she'd be up there" she rolled her eyes slightly.  
  
"She looks amazing, so confident up there...summer's there too" he smiled.  
  
"Oh surprising" Stef commented as she glanced over to the stage, at the fake smiling flouncing girls tossing their hair and posing. She wished she had powers that would make them combust into flames by her just thinking it.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
Stef was stood slightly behind Ryan, one arm slung around her waist as she glanced around bored; everyone applauded as the show finished and the crowd slowly dispersed away from the stage.  
  
"Your mom did one hell of a good job organizing all this" Ryan said turning around and looking at Stef before blinking at the half full glass in her hand. "Didn't you finish that?"  
  
"I did, but then I refilled my glass" Stef smiled at him, seeing his look she shrugged, "Just the once, I swear"  
  
Ryan was looking at her suspiciously until he felt a tap on his shoulder making him spin around. "Marissa" his eyebrows raised in surprise, "uh hi, you were great up there"-  
  
"Oh it was nothing" Marissa laughed off, "I'm so glad you came and watched! Look us teens are all going to an after show party soon, do you want to join, cause I can get you a lift"  
  
"That'd be cool" Ryan grinned at her then turned to look at Stef, "uh do you want to go?"  
  
"There won't be room in the car" Summer announced with a sniff, arriving by Marissa's side and glancing to Stef with obvious distaste.  
  
"I don't want to suffocate in the car because all the air will be sucked into her head anyway, so you can go if you want Ryan...I'll stay here and wait for my parents" Stef snapped, ignoring Summer's murderous glare.  
  
"But, you shouldn't be left on your own I'll feel bad if I go and you're stuck here"-  
  
"I'm not on my own" Stef quickly said and noticed Summer's smirk, "I'll go uh, mingle"  
  
"Of course, where there's a drink there's a gay" Summer muttered under her breath.  
  
"Excuse me?" Stef glared as Marissa elbowed Summer and gave her a look of her own.  
  
"We really should be going now; Ryan, are you coming or staying?" Marissa asked.  
  
"I uh"-  
  
"Ry, just go! I'll be fine on my own, just go enjoy yourself and many girls" Stef said giving him a fake smile.  
  
Ryan looked really unsure. "If anything's wrong you'll see your parents right?"  
  
"Of course, of course – now go have fun" Ryan opened his mouth to say something, but was dragged away by the happy chattering girls.  
  
Stef sighed and glanced around at the crowds of people talking to one another. She blushed feeling a bit embarrassed at being alone as she grabbed another drink. Slowly she sipped at it and glanced around. She froze when she saw a nearby group of girls who had modelled looking at her – not her though, at her arms, with looks of disgust on their faces, one of them said something and they laughed. Stef felt her small red blush creep further across her face as she herself glanced down at her arms then knocked back the drink and slammed the glass down on the table, before hurrying away wanting to get out of that awful place where she stuck out as the freak she was.  
  
Her mom said she looked a million dollars, but now she felt just the $95 she was really worth, only much much cheaper and fake. She ran smack into a server who held a bottle of champagne. "Sorry" she mumbled, stepping backwards and they both sidestepped unsuccessfully to pass each other, "I'll take that!" she snapped, snatching the bottle from his hands and hurrying past.  
  
There was no point in looking for her parents anyway; they were too busy being admired and socialising. She didn't need to come along and ruin her Mom's night, not again.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------  
  
Ryan had been at the party for an hour, having the time of his life – it was one of the best night's he'd had in a long time. He smiled at Marissa as she looked his way smiling at him, as Summer went on about some guy and they weren't really listening.  
  
Ryan jumped when his mobile began to ring. "Uh, excuse me" he mumbled in surprise at the interruption, as he walked into a quieter room, shielding one ear to listen as he answered the phone: "Hello?"  
  
"Ryan, its Sandy" he managed to hear, "sounds like the after party's going well" he chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, yeah it's great"  
  
"I'm glad to see you're having fun. Look, me and Kirsten will be stuck up here at this thing for another hour or two, so you and Stef be home before then yeah?"  
  
"Me and Stef?" Ryan asked confused.  
  
"Yeah... Stef is with you isn't she?" Sandy's tone changed a little. Ryan frowned remembering how Sandy and Kirsten had asked him to keep an eye on Stef again, and how he'd left her to go to a party because she insisted she was fine.  
  
Ryan glanced around, "of course, she's uh, gone to the bathroom" he winced at the lie.  
  
"She's alright isn't she?"  
  
"Yeah, she's having a wail of a time...Sandy my battery's going, I have to go"  
  
"Alright. Don't get back home too late alright? And don't do anything I wouldn't do"  
  
"Yeah, yeah of course, bye sandy" Ryan said shutting the phone off. "Crap!" he hissed. He turned and headed back out to where the girls were standing.  
  
"Is everything alright Ryan?" Marissa asked with a smile.  
  
"I'm sorry Marissa, I need to get back to the Cohen's now" Ryan said apologetically.  
  
"Right now? Is anything wrong with Mr. or Mrs. Cohen?" Marissa looked concerned.  
  
"They're fine, it's just uh, they need me there right away"  
  
"Do you want a lift?" Marissa asked.  
  
"I'd appreciate it. I'm sorry to be such a hassle"-  
  
"It's alright Ryan" Marissa put a hand on his arm. "I'll just get my jacket and we can go"  
  
"Thanks" Ryan nodded to her.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------  
  
Ryan walked up the driveway, fumbling to get the spare key out of his pocket that Sandy had given him. He forced it into the front door and twisted it around for a while, tugging on the handle before it opened up.  
  
"Stef?" he called glancing through the doors as he walked down the hallway. He went into the lounge and saw that the rug was dishevelled like someone had tripped – and a nearby splattered wet patch indicated someone with a drink had fallen.  
  
"Stef?" he called again, cursing as he entered and looked around the kitchen. If she wasn't here the Cohen's would surely kill him. He did a short double take as he noticed the kitchen doors leading to outside were open.  
  
His eyes widened as images of a drunken Stef, drowned and floating in the pool came to mind and he hurried out the doors. His heart somersaulted when he saw she was sprawled across a chair near the pool, resting her face on her arm that lay across a table top with an empty bottle of champagne nearby.  
  
"Stef!" Ryan ran over and moved the bottle out of the way before grabbing her shoulders and pulling her back so she was sat up.  
  
"Ry" she drawled, "howsda partay?" she looked up at him with unfocused eyes and a lame attempt of a smile, which looked a bit deranged with her lipstick smeared halfway across her face like a suicidal drunk clown.  
  
"Your parents will kill me if they find you in this state" Ryan groaned, "look, you got alcohol over your dress"  
  
Stef rubbed at the wet patch lamely with arms that felt numb and detached from her body, "yohgod, itz ruined...ruined cause I'm wearinit, and I ruin everythinice" she was slurring as she put her hands to her face to let out a high whimper as if about to sob.  
  
"Stef, you're completely out of it, how much have you drank?" Ryan said, slipping his hands under her arms getting her to stand up.  
  
She stumbled on her clumsy feet and fell against Ryan, "enuffta, ta make it lesssss...ya know" she mumbled against his chest, trying to get a hold of him to steady herself.  
  
Ryan frowned and shifted her in his arms, before manoeuvring so he could pick her up. She groaned and buried her face into his shoulder, letting her hair cover it – it was already beginning to go back to its natural curly state.  
  
Ryan sighed and carried her as carefully as he could around the pool towards the pool house, as it was near by and there were fewer doors to difficultly be in his way. Stef was mumbling something against the material of his shirt as he managed with difficulty to pry the pool house door open and then carefully carried her through.  
  
"I'm going to put you into my bed alright, it looks like you're going to have to crash there tonight" Ryan said, not sure if Stef was even listening let alone conscious as he walked over to the bed and lay her down on it.  
  
Ryan glanced around then grabbed some Kleenex from the nearby box, carefully and hesitantly wiping it across Stef's face in an attempt to wipe away most of the lipstick. Stef's brows furrowed as she made an annoyed sound and rolled over onto her side.  
  
"woah woah" Ryan shifted her back a bit as she almost fell off the bed. With a sigh he threw the dirtied tissue around, and then he then reached over her grabbing the quilt and pulled it over her, gently tucking her in.  
  
Stef let out a sigh as he did and shifted a bit under the covers, "dontcha leave yet" she closed her eyes and seemed to go still suddenly, breathing deeply.  
  
"I won't" Ryan said, moving down to the other end of the bed, lifting up the quilt to undo her shoes and slip them off her dainty feet. He put the shoes together neatly underneath the end of the bed before standing up. He coughed as he smoothed her skirt down over her legs covering them respectively, as it had hitched up to about her thighs. He put the quilt back down before edging backwards until he reached the sofa and sat down in it, resting his chin in the palm of his hand as he studied the sleeping Stef.  
  
He really didn't get that girl, she was...weird. He wondered if he ever would understand her – or if she'd give him the chance. 


End file.
